Secrets and Sidekicks

Katie the Catsitter #3

by Colleen A.F. Venable, Stephanie Yue (Contributor)

Still training to be a sidekick, Katie protects the city against mysterious robot attacks--while trying not to feel like an outsider within her own friend group.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Animals, Cats, Childrens, Friendship

224 pages, Library Binding

First published May 2, 2023

About the author

You might know me from such films as "Colleen's Fourth Birthday Party" and "Colleen Falls Down Over and Over Again While Ice Skating."

Fun facts!
-I have a huge connect-the-dots tattoo.
-I accidentally started an international holiday.
(See National Pancake Day or Lumberjack Day, every Sept 26)
-I once sang back-up on an album nominated for the Polka Grammy.
-I can't sing.
-When I was 18, I broke a national coed jump-rope record.

My debut YA graphic novel Kiss Number 8 was a National Book Award Longlist title, an Eisner nominee, and a Prism award finalist.

My graphic novel series Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye (illustrated by Stephanie Yue) was nominated for an Eisner for Best Publication for Kids and awarded “Best Book” recognition from Kirkus Reviews, NYPL, Bank Street, and the Junior Library Guild.

I grew up in the trees of Walden, New York….well, not very high up the trees, since I always got scared, but I did carve my name in a lot of low hanging boughs. I had an older sister, a dog, a cat, a million fish, and an imaginary pet hamster named, yup you guessed it, Hamisher. Why have an imaginary friend when you can have an imaginary friend that can fit in your pocket!

I went to Wagner College and double majored in English and Studio Art, winning the award of “biggest dork” (aka first in my class)

I love graphic novels more than I love having feet and I really do love having feet. They keep my shoes on.

Pssst My name is actually spelled Colleen AF Venable. No punctuation. My birth name was Colleen Ann Venable, but in 1994 I asked to change my middle name to Felicity, because that's the sort of thing you do when you are 14. So I started to go by Colleen AF...mostly because I was bad at typing periods. The internet either ruined my name or made it SO MUCH COOLER. You can decide.

Reviews

[Dinah King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't say this is the best graphic novel I've ever read, but it is definitely one of my favorites. This series never disappoints and it has it all. Tweenage drama, action and adventure, very silly villains, and very cute cats. I want a poster with all the cats, their names, and their super powers. I love them all so much.

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC of this!

I love this series so, so much. Cats and superheroes? Amazing. The art is the cutest and the main character dealing with coming of age drama against the crime fighting backdrop works so well.

[Nicolette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d love to read this series with B one day 😻

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie is super excited that the Mousetress is going to start physical training for her role as sidekick. But it is harder than she thought, and others make it look so easy. The Mousetress also can't devote all the time she had planned to training as someone is unleashing evil robots on the city. Katie is also trying to juggle 3 friends with different interests, she's pretty sure the building's owner's brother is Screech Owl and no one believes her, and then her Mom is suddenly available at night and wants to help Katie catsit!

I like how Venable has Katie's adventures be a good mix of friendship adventures to learn how to handle and superhero stuff. It mixes in enough real world to make Katie relatable, and brings in enough superhero/scifi stuff to make this an imaginative journey into a new world too. And of course, the cats and their incredible abilities and antics are why we're really all so eager for the next Katie the Catsitter. They inevitably steal the show (and help save the day). Katie learns some good lessons about trusting those close to you, being honest, and learning that you can't please everyone all the time. I like how the book brings her and her mom closer together. I will have several students very excited to see this on the shelves at the start of school.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are perilous situations but only property damage, no injuries. One friend has to go live with relatives because their parents are involved in shady things.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third installment in the Katie the Catsitter graphic novel series does not disappoint. In Secrets and Sidekicks, Katie trying to hone her sidekick skills and training under Madeline when the city comes under robot attack. Katie’s friendships are strained and her mother’s career is in crisis. Despite all of these setbacks and conflicts, this book is still so much fun. It packs in all the puns and witty humor. The illustrations and coloring are fantastic. This took me a bit longer to read because my 3.5yo and 6yo seemed to lose a bit of interest, so this may be suited for a slightly older young reader.

[Christiana Doucette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, an exciting graphic novel adventure within the Katie the Catsitter series. Kids who love cats and epic adventure won't be able to put this book down. From chasing robot mice, to cats saving kids, all with lots of friendship weave together for an unforgettable story. The cats using suction cup boots to walk up the wall was especially fun.

[Emily Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Katie is back for another adventure! She is still training to be a sidekick, while also battling killer robots and also trying to fit in with her friend group. What's a girl to do?

As an awkward tween myself, I really loved this book and thought it was perfect for any girl that feels the same! I hope it shows them that it's okay to be who they are and to shine.

[Rachel Holtzclaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing as always! katie the catsitter you will always be famous!

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should have stopped with the first one.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful, silly continuation of the series!

[🐈‍⬛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie the Catsitter is back with more cuteness!

If you liked the first two, you'll enjoy this one as well.

Katie continues her training with the Mousetress, and they try to get to the bottom of the giant robot attacks in NYC.

I love seeing all the cats and their unique abilities! As a cat lover, it's so fun to see the cats help with the heists and hijinks.



Katie's mom stops working nights and is able to spend more time at home, but the problem is, Katie still hasn't told her mom she's training with the Mousetress! What is the identity of Owl Guy? Is Buttersoft Bionics responsible for all the Giant robots? And will Beth and Katie's friendship survive middle school?

This series is great for middle schoolers, as well as adults who are looking for a cozy read. There is a message about being kind to animals, and doing good in the world.

The art is lovely, and really fits the tone of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment of Katie's adventures with The Mousetress and her talented squadron of cats (including a few new ones)! I love the combo of superhero action, cute cats, and girls navigating their friendships. This is going to be a super popular checkout at the school library where I work!

* Thanks to Random House / RH Graphic for the NetGalley review copy. Secrets and Sidekicks publishes May 2, 2023.

[✧~grey~✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really good! I've been waiting for it at my library for months, and it did not disappoint! <3

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Katie's mom is still working all hours at her job, leaving Katie plenty of time to train to be a superhero with the Moustress while pretending the time is being spent catsitting her many amusing cats. The latest mission has been against Buttersoft Bionics, a company that is dumping waste into waterways. The crew breaks into their offices and manages to reroute the pipes so that the waste is instead funneled into the CEO Reginald Crane's office! Beth, the daughter of Stainless Steel, isn't allowed to go on missions until "she's 35", and Katie can continue only because her mother doesn't know. There are giant robots on the loose that seem to have come from Bionics, and the Mousetress gets mixed up in the minds of the media as the evil doer. Benito Benton is back, hanging out with his brother, who doesn't seem convinced that Benito is Owl Guy, although Katie is. Katie also spends some time with the Wheel-las, a skateboarding group, and bonds with Marie, which makes Beth a little jealous. Of course, Beth is hanging out with Jess more and more, and Jess is upset about all of the robot drama in town because her boyfriend is the son of Buttersoft's CEO. Moustress has some personal drama, since she has never told her parents about her superhero identity, and it's not surprising when Katie's mom finds about her antics and wants her to stop training. Is Benito really Owl Guy? Is he coordinating the robots? Who is behind the current threat to the town, and will Katie and her friends (with help from the cat army) be able to stop them?
Strengths: This was an amusing superhero romp, and I liked that fact that Katie struggled with the training. Superheroes have to practice, just like anyone else. The friend drama is all on point; Beth is so much better than Katie that there's some jealousy, and middle school is a time when people make new friends due to new interests, and it's hard to keep everyone happy. The cats' antics are all amusing, and there are plenty of cute cat drawings.
Weaknesses: It's one thing for Katie to not tell her mother about her superhero training, but it bothered me that the other adults were willing to hide it. Purely an adult/parent reaction, of course!
What I really think: My students like this one, but I'm not a cat person. The first two have circulated well, so I will buy the third book. Just not my personal favorite.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone looking for a quick but engaging read that is not the typical fare will find what they need in this series featuring relatable characters, secret superheroes, and cats, of course. In this, the third installment in the series, Katie continues to train with the Mousestress as she prepares for her role as her sidekick and wonders who is behind the robots that seem to plague their city. But she's feeling left out by some of her friends' interests, and even when Beth joins her in occasional training, Katie feels jealous because Beth is so much more natural at some of the physical activities than she is. Plus, Katie's mother finds out what's been going on behind her back, and she is not amused. The twist at the end of the story comes fast and is so unexpected that it could have used some development to prepare readers for what's coming. But what works here--as with the others in the series--are those 217 gifted and talented felines, each with one special talent. The storyline is supported ably with delightful artwork and the personalities of those wonderful cats. Fans of the series will be pleased to see some new additions to the cat family, including Googly, whose unique talent/expertise ends up coming in handy. As for those of us with cats of our own, we always knew each one of them was special. There's plenty of humor in these pages, and readers might find themselves snorting in delight at some of the pages.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the previous Katie the Catsitter books, I enjoyed this read. Albeit less so than the previous two. The artwork was consistent with the previous books and the story moved well, but I did find that there was a lot being covered in the book and, as a result, it jumped around a lot more than was necessary. Katie is sorting out friendships with her school friends and fellow sidekick, trying to solve the robot mystery, trying to chase down the Screech, trying to support Madeline in her endeavours as a hero, and balancing a relationship with her mom. I really wanted the book to focus on a few things and do those well rather than try to cram in so much that each item got slim coverage. For example, it may have been better to have this book focus on Katie's friendships and how they are evolving, including how she was competing for sidekick status; or to have focused on her relationship with her mom and her mom finding out about the superhero gig maybe even paralleled to Madeline telling her parents who she is. But to do both and then to also have all the other hero stuff thrown in, too much. At the same time, it was still a good story and a good next step in the series. I am assuming that there will be more as some elements of the plot were left unresolved, or at least not as resolved as they could have been.

Definitely a fun read for a middle schooler and one who likes Catwoman, cats, and hero stories.

* I received an ARC via NetGalley.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to wonder if anyone is actually keeping track of all the cats, or if they just appear as needed (like Googly, for laughs). I probably should check, but I know I will never remember to do that, and there's no wiki set up to make that easier. (I honestly do not need to be spending time editing another wiki...)

Still super cute, though! And also full of that fun awkward time when having a disagreement with friends. :/ I wonder if that's what the series is REALLY about: friend problems?

The one thing I don't like is when Madeline tells her parents that she's the Mousetress, and they appear to disown her, and THAT makes Katie's mother change her mind about the Mousetress being a bad influence. I'm not really sure how that works, other than... showing her vulnerability? Admittedly, I'm not a parent, so who knows!

Rich people, though. Yikes. (/sarcasm)

Recommended for fans of the first two books! Not sure how well this works for completely new readers, though.

[Brianne P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My homeschooled group of kiddos age ranges Girl 6 Boy soon to be 9 and my stepson who just turned 9, read this separately. They have the 1st and 2nd of the series and simply adore them. I did not read this, but they did:

My 6-year-old whispered softly as she read this "I love this book" When she was done reading it, I asked her to help me review it...she quickly said, ' It was good" and ran off to play.

My almost 9-year-old son says "It was crazy! There was a cat named Googly, who's description was "being in places he is not supposed to be" He was so funny. The first place he wasn't supposed to be was a shoe, then a bag full of flour. He made me laugh a lot. There was a bunch of robots. They were a bit dumb. It was a great book in the series, and I can't wait for more"

My stepson 9-year-old I thought it as good but said they spoiled a lot of secrets. He also said that the Cheesy Justice is an awesome name for a superhero!

Both of my boys (who read this separately) pointed out a particular seen with a cat with a fire extinguisher and a jet pack..in which they found very hilarious. The parent in me had to remind them that this was just a make-believe story......please don't try this in real life! :-)

Overall my kiddos love this series and cant wait for more!

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great graphic panels, a storyline filled with superhero and villain action plus cats who have amazing skills.

Katie is a sidekick in training with one of the city’s superheroes and takes it very seriously. Her current project with mentor Madeline/Mousetress is to take down an industry that mistreats employees, dumps pollution without a thought of what it is doing to people and the environment and seems to have an army of robots doing its bidding. Along with Buttersoft Bionics, there is the ongoing pursuit of Owl Guy. But Katie is still a kid and she has the same sort of anxieties of any other tweenaged girl and in this episode, she feels like her best friend Beth is not only a more skilled sidekick than she is but that she has found a new best friend. Nice blend of all the sorts of things older elementary readers face and a fairly lighthearted superhero plot.

Text is free of profanity, sexual content and the violence is pretty mild and seldom causes any harm to people. Target age range: grades 3-5. Strong 2nd grade readers may also enjoy this one but may not have much experience with the friend drama in Katie’s life.

Note: This is the first Katie the Catsitter I have read and not having her “origin story” was not a problem.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hilarious and entertaining Katie the Catsitter! The color and graphics are bright and eye-catching. The dialog just easily flows along with the graphics of the story. There is a bit more development of the adult characters in this book, some more focus on Katie’s mom, and a bit of background into Madeline, the infamous Mousetress. The storyline addresses the conflicts that happen when friendships change, but it also talks about honesty and strength among family and friends. I love that this book subtly includes some life lessons, while still being a fun read. Katie continues her training as Mousetress’ sidekick and her friend Bethany joins as well, with the hope to be Stainless Steele’s sidekick eventually. The book even gives you a little insight into the identity of the Eastern Screech, hmmm. The third book in the series is another great story of Katie the Catsitter and I cannot wait to see what adventures await her and the Mousetress next. And let’s not forget those very talented and adorable cats!

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you love cats? Intrigued by the notion of superheroes living among us? Give this graphic novel series a try. There is a secret superhero with hundreds of cats in her penthouse. Each cat she adopts gets a name and has a specific superpower. For example: Mew Mew is a disguise expert, Bandit does sleight of hand magic, and Pavement has expertise in jet packs. Those are just a few of the many talented cats that Katie helps take care of. In addition to cat sitting, Katie is now training to be a sidekick. The training causes conflict with friends and family and the book does a great job of modelling resolutions for these types of dilemmas. There is a bit of poking fun as they lament the fact that superheroes have to wear their underwear on the outside and the reveals to family members are also quite dramatic and fun in turns. Definitely a series that has grown along the way and is most certainly gaining a fanbase.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book with special skill cats helping superhero the Mousetress. Katie and her friend Beth know that Madeline is Mousetress and that she fights against evil. But the media is making MOusetress out to be evil. Beth has joined Katie in training to be a sidekick. Katie is already chosen as Mousetresses sidekick but Beth is proving to be way better at it than Katie. Katie is not athletic, although she can skateboard and belongs to the skateboard gang, the wheels las. Beth has been spending more time with Marie and Katie is jealous.
Robots are attacking the city and only Katie believes that Benito, Mr. B's brother, is owl guy and behind the attacks. The robots are also linked to Buttersoft Bionics, owned by Beth's ex boyfriend's dad. While Katie tries to get people to believe Benito is owl guy and can't be trusted the robots run amok.

[Chelsey Hostetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved Katie the Catsitter from day one, it's such a colorful comic with crazy fun characters and genuine depictions of relationships. This "episode" Katie is starting sidekick training with her BFF Beth, but Beth seems to have a knack for all the sidekick stuff making Katie feel left out. Plus, there's trouble brewing with Jess and Katie may have neglected to inform her mom about the sidekick training.....and also about Marie being Mousetress. Katie has to work through her feelings, with the help of 217 very unusual cats, and figure out how to be a good friend and a good sidekick. This was such a fun graphic and once again the illustrations are clever, fun and always a bit cheeky. I'm excited to see what adventure Katie and friends get up to next!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I shared this ARC with my 11-year daughter who LOVES graphic novels. She's read the first two books in the series and really loved them. This book was enjoyable but not her favorite.

The artwork continues to be fun, and Katie is an enjoyable character. As a parent, I liked that the book addressed friendship, a challenge at this age for a lot of kids. There is a lot happening in this book and the storyline moved around quite a bit. Overall, my daughter's feedback was that she just didn't love this story as much as she had loved the previous two. That certainly won't stop her from reading more in the series later on though! A decent addition, we both look forward to seeing where Katie's next adventure takes her.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun series, and I am delighted that there will be more to come! Katie is a sweet main character - she is also prone to jealousy, trying too hard, and stretching the truth to protect her big secret - her neighbor is a superhero, the Mousetress! Katie is training to be her apprentice, but has kept that piece of information from her single mom, who works hard and is often stressed.
Much of this book requires some knowledge of the previous two books in the series, but newcomers will catch on - and then want to go back and read the others! I love the cats and their unique abilities; I also love Katie's very real friends and friend problems that exist alongside her secret life of superheroes.
SUPER-fun and highly recommended for ages 8+

[Ella ! · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved this book series but it wasn’t what I expected because usually with the other books it has other stuff then just superhero stuff like I like the fantasy superhero stuff but it wasn’t enough because I was expecting so much but it was just blank because in the 1st book it was about how Katie wanted to go to camp so she tried so get jobs to get the money and that’s when she got the cat sitter job and found out Madeline was a superhero and in the 2nd boom it was when it was her friend drama how Katie was having problems about her friendship with Beth and they found out Beth’s mom was also a superhero and the 3rd book didn’t have any of that just superhero nothing else so I did not finish it and it also started it and random spot it was a lot I just wasn’t understanding

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

We got more cats!!! One of my biggest complaints about book 2 was how few cat scenes there were. So this volume delivered on that front (though I could still use more!). I thought this books also more successfully threaded the fantastical and "middle school" plotlines. Katie had to deal with the non-fantastical tween girl challenges of feeling like a third wheel in her friend group, realizing you need to pay more attention to a friend, and sharing secrets with your mom. The story was still a little too stuffed and moved faster than I would have liked - if I struggle to parse out who everyone is, then I can't imagine a middle grade reader trying to understand all the relationships. But still a charming series that brings the laughs.

[el (celestialbronz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was soooo fun!!!! Katie is on the top of her excitement of being the Mousetress’s sidekick, while suddenly the NYC is getting giant robot attacks regularly. Another problems are Katie hasn’t told her mom about the superheroes-supervillains stuffs and TM is still framed as the villain, even though she evidently stopped the robot attacks. The citizen would rather praise a superhero who did nothing than admit that TM isn’t evil. Sigh. Cue The Man by Taylor Swift. AND THEN Katie’s friendship with Beth is also tested yet again.

Some of the jokes were actually funny, the cats were adorable as always (God, I miss my cats), and the plot was enjoyable. A really good graphic novel indeed.

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the third installment, Katie starts her sidekick training in earnest, but her lack of athletic ability is a bit of a liability. She is worried at the close relationship building between Beth and Marie, and facing increasing pressure to tell her Mom about her extra-curricular activities. To top it all off, some nut is sending giant robots out into the city to create havoc. Will her friendship with Beth survive? Will her mother accept her sidekick gig--or kill her? Is the Eastern Screech back and behind the robot attacks--and why can no one but her tell that it's Mr. B.'s brother? This series is such fun.

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH A GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU NEED TO READ THIS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! Completely ignore all negative reviews! I use to read it every single night or else I wouldn't be able to sleep because it was awesome! I have read it so much now that I get a little bit sick of it but it is still an awesome book! I have read it like 50 times so read it now!!!!!!!!!! RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!! *Highly recommended* So PLeEaaASsE rEaD iT NoW!!!!!!!!!! I mean it! Go to the store right now I don't care what your doing but just get up and read it!!!!! GO read the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I also highly recommend the other 3)